


Thank You, All Of You.

by MedHeadsUnite



Series: Thank You, All Of You [1]
Category: Chicago Med
Genre: .. well kind of..., Graduation Day, Jeff is now a doctor too, Just like Nat... well, Multi, Older Owen... Much Older....
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:26:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22697080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedHeadsUnite/pseuds/MedHeadsUnite
Summary: On one of the biggest days of Jeff Manning's entire life, his family comes together to celebrate his success.
Relationships: Helen Manning/Jeffrey Manning, Jeffrey Manning/ Carol Conte, Jeffrey Manning/Daniel Charles, Jeffrey Manning/Lou Conte, Jeffrey Manning/Natalie Manning, Natalie Manning & Owen Manning, Will Halstead/Jeffrey Manning
Series: Thank You, All Of You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633288
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	Thank You, All Of You.

He'd decided against wearing his uniform, as it wasn't really necessary.

But the military man in him had it ingrained: if you're not going to wear it, at least look presentable.

So there it was, dry cleaned and pressed, and hanging up in the cellophane wrapping, Natalie having remembered to hang it up on the back of the door before she left.

She had some surprises for him that needed to be finalized she'd said, so he reluctantly let her leave the comfort of their Sleep Number bed, which they'd just recently bought, to take care of those things.

He was expertly tying his tie when she returned, walking into their en-suite bath to change.

She was so proud of him she thought her heart was going to burst.

Owen knocked, Jeff grinning, "Hey partner!"

"If it isn't the valedictorian! Congrats Pops!" Owen fires back, a matching grin on his face.

Jeff embraced his son, not realizing Natalie was watching the whole exchange.

Owen was wearing one of his St. Ignatius uniforms, blazer included.

"My boys," Natalie beams.

"We love you beautiful," they chorused, leaning over to place gentle kisses on her cheeks.

"You two are my entire world," she whispers softly, a smile on her face.

"You mean the world to us too Mom," Owen nods.

"We've got to get going," Lou grins from the doorway.

Helen peeks out, "I'll take him."

Jeff leans over to kiss Nat one more time, then he heads out with his mother to the ceremony.

Owen heads in, finding his grandparents, as Jeff is backstage with his classmates.

"Morning Dr. Manning," the dean smiles.

"Dr. Martin, good morning to you as well," Jeff smiles, shaking her hand. 

"Mighty proud of that young man," Lou smiles at Helen.

"So are his father and I," Helen nods, "Thanks for being here you guys."

"Of course," Lou smiles.

Natalie is the first to applaud, the Auditorum Theatre filling up in immediate succession.

In a surprise move, Darian, who was also a TCSPP alum, stepped up, the graphic behind her on the display revealing her to be the keynote speaker.

"Esteemed faculty, family and friends, good morning to you, we're honored and grateful to you all for being here for the 2022 commencement. My name is Dr. Darian Conte, and I'm very proud to return to my alma mater to be the keynote speaker."

She reflects for a moment before continuing, beaming down at an equally as proud Natalie, "When I completed my master's degree twenty years ago, the landscape on which I learned was vastly different."

Darian finishes up, turning to Jeff, "Ladies and gentlemen, I now turn the mic over to one of the most resilient and strongest men that I've ever met, he's also my brother," she grins, "Our valedictorian, Dr. Jeffrey Manning."

Natalie and everyone in the first seven rows stood up, applauding loudly.

Jeff gives the speech, and sits as the diplomas are being handed out.

And Dr. Martin turns around, "Ladies and gentelmen, the final conferrence of a degree this morning. the valedictorian of the 2022 commencement here at the Chicago campus, Dr. Jeffrey Manning."

And as the recession started and the music played, he turns and winks, Nat giggling loudly, "Ah... so proud of you!"

He grins, having watched her call out, in spite of the fact that hearing her had been impossible. 

So he throws up his hands in the shape of a heart and blows her a kiss, which she immediately returns, and then walks off the stage.

He's standing there after photos, and as he looks down, the sparkle of her wedding ring catches his eye.

He spins around, pulling her close, "My graduate."

"I love you, I meant every word you know," he wraps his arms gently around her.

"I know," she whispers, a soft smile breaking out across her face, "I never doubt that."

Darian's leaning against the car when they walk out, "Hey all, about time you got here. They just got to Maggiano's."

"Carbs," Jeff whimpers, swooning.

"Find a lover who swoons over food the same way he swoons over you," Nat jokes.

"Oh if only you could read my mind right now," he wiggles his brows at her with a smirk as Darian pretended to gag.

"Got her again," Jeff laughs.

Nat shakes her head laughing as she hops into the passenger seat of Darian's Acadia, "I love it when you two do that."

"I don't need the image of you two being all cute, lovey or anything of that sort in my head, dear god! you're still that precocious thirteen year old that I had to stick up for when you almost blew the basement windows out with that month's wacky science experiment!"

"I never thanked you for having my back, did I?" Nat furrows her brow in thought.

"Yeah you did," she grins, "You took me on that vacation. I'd watch the kids again in a heartbeat. Speaking of, how's the Lieutenant?"

"I'm worried about her," Jeff admits.

"Hey, let's not go there right now," Natalie shakes her head, "Today's about you."

Jeff had welcomed a child with his high school sweetheart five years before marrying Natalie, and because he'd been honest, she'd married him anyway, "No you're right."

So as the day went on, Jeffrey Manning could only think of one thing.

How grateful he was for the people he was breaking bread with.

They meant the absolute world to him.


End file.
